The Daily Star - Stay Tuned
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The Daily Star, Oneonta, N.Y., Friday, November 12, 2010 2 coverstory Right on ‘Target’ Hit Fox series premieres second season Mark Valley and Chi McBride star in “Human Target” By Isabel Jarvo TV Media made of blankets and pillows, using flashlights to scan the colorful pages long after their parents had tucked them into bed,these were the hours that many grown-ups now cherish. Heroes had souls and morals, villains were evil and never won and there were always cit- izens to be saved. T Over the years the modern comic has become something different.Those long-adored heroes now have dark sides, citizens in distress are actually undercover agents in disguise and the sadistic villains aren’t quite so evil and,sometimes, they even win. Based on the DC Comics se- ries of the same name,“Human Target”is an example of that modern tradition,and it’s ready to launch its second season, premiering Wednesday,Nov. 17,on Fox. here was a time when comic books were all that children read.Inside tents The gripping series follows former assassin Christopher Chance (Mark Valley) as he protects his at-risk clients any way he can — often by becom- ing the target and putting him- self in harm’s way. In the first season,viewers were kept in the dark as to the origins of Chance’s mysterious past until the season finale. In it,it was revealed that he was recruited by the leader of a league of assassins and hand groomed to be his successor. The man,known simply as the Old Man,was then heartbro- ken when his pupil turned trai- tor and took on the name of Christopher Chance — a name passed down among men de- termined to protect the inno- cent from these very killers. If the identity-swap story sounds vaguely familiar, it’s be- cause it follows a similar thread to Robert Ludlum’s Jason Bourne novels.In these,no- table assassin Jason Bourne as- sumes his identity from a man he killed during the Vietnam war. While he might not be an assassin any longer,the knowl- edge serves Chance well as he must go up against other men and women trained by the Old Man,resulting in on-screen battles that have left critics floored. Luckily for Valley,he’s used to that sort of action. Having spent a majority of his acting career in police, crime or legal dramas,Valley is likely best known for his long standing role as Brad Chase on “Boston Legal.”He has also appeared on “ER,”and on “Days of our Lives”as Jack De- veraux (though he was the third man to play that part). Standing alongside Valley is Chi McBride,who plays Det. Laverne Winston,a former po- lice officer tired of the red tape impeding his quest to do what’s right in the world. McBride took his turn on the dark side in a brief, five- episode arc on “House,” though he has had a slew of other notable roles.He is a “Boston Public”veteran,star- ring as the principal of the fic- tional Winslow High School for the length of the series. Working with them is an- other reformed hit man,a meek-seeming man named Guerrero,played by Jackie Ear- le Harley.Viewers will not likely recognize the California native because so many of his roles have been in costume.Most recently he played Rorschach in the 2009 box office hit “Watchmen”and terrorized fans as Freddy Krueger in the recent redux of “A Nightmare on Elm Street.”Guerrero,also a product of Old Man’s assassi- nation school,uses his under- ground contacts to help Chance and Winston protect those who need protecting. On the other side of the fight stands Baptiste (Lennie James).Chance’s former friend,pupil and partner,he is a ruthless killer who took down the previous Christopher Chance. James has starred in numerous roles onscreen, though he is mostly likely known for his spots on “Jeri- cho,”“Outlaw”and “Lie to Me.” While most fans of the se- ries are enamored with the in- tricate plot lines and realistic characters,the show’s also drawing attention and praise for its epic music. Composed by Bear Mc- Creary,the respected writer be- hind the scores of “Battlestar Galactica,”“Eureka”and “Ter- minator:The Sarah Connor Chronicles,”the Season 1 soundtrack was released on Oct.19.The limited-edition, three-disc set released by La La Land Records includes the Emmy-nominated main theme,bonus tracks,unre- leased demo tracks and sketches done by McCreary,as well as almost four hours of the orchestral pieces that make the show feel less like a televi- sion series and more like a miniature movie. Chirstopher’s Coins 2 x 2 hollywoodQ&A By Adam Thomlison TV Media Q:I saw a DVD collection of Steve McQueen’s “Want- ed:Dead or Alive”series,and it got me thinking of one of my favorites as a kid:Nick Adams’s “The Rebel.” It even got me humming the theme song. I looked online to see if there is a collection of this series,with no luck. Any word on this one being released? A:Even with a man as famous as the Man in Black anchor- ing it in the present,the pull of obscurity is proving too strong for “The Rebel.” In fact,a quick Internet search yields more hits for the chords to Johnny Cash’s famed theme song,“The Rebel — Johnny Yuma,”than for the show itself. And that is partly because it’s never been released on DVD. Of course,it did only last two seasons,so a complete-series box set would end up looking a little thin. Q:What else has Harry Anderson done other than “Dave’s World”? A:I was going to say “Dave’s World,”until I reread your question. Because as soon as I see the name Harry Anderson,I think “Night Court.”And it appears I’m not alone in this. Anderson played Judge Harold T.Stone in all nine seasons of the landmark ‘80s sitcom “Night Court,”presiding over the late shift of a courtroom in downtown New York. Then in 1993,the very year after he doffed his judge’s robe for the last time,he premiered as the title character in the sit- com “Dave’s World,”modelled after the columns of Miami Her- ald writer Dave Barry. Anderson’s courtroom days were revived partway a couple of times during the “Dave’s World”run when former “Night Court”co-star Markie Post showed up to do guest spots — once in Season 2 and again in the show’s fourth and final sea- son. He paid the favor forward,as it were,by guesting on the sit- com of another “Night Court”alumnus,John Larroquette (the show being the aptly titled “John Larroquette Show”). Others may remember Anderson for his recurring role as con artist Harry “The Hat”Gittes on another ‘80s classic,“Cheers,” or his subsequent hosting gigs on various “Circus of the Stars” and “Oops! The World’s Funniest Outtakes”specials. Have a question? E-mail us at questions@tvtabloid.com. Please include your name and town. Personal replies will not be provided.